Musée des Plans-Reliefs Guide: The 3D Maps of Kings

Your ticket to the Musée de l'Armée also grants you access to the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, located on the top floor of the Orient Wing. It is a hidden gem often overlooked by tourists rushing to the Tomb.

What is a Plan-Relief?

These are large-scale 3D models of fortified cities and their surrounding countryside. Louis XIV's war minister, Louvois, began the collection in 1668. They were treated as top-secret military intelligence documents, used to plan sieges and upgrade defenses.

The Collection

• Scale: Most are built to a 1:600 scale.
• Detail: The level of detail is insane. Every tree, bridge, house, and hill is replicated. You can see the layout of 17th-century towns like Perpignan, Brest, and Bayonne exactly as they were.
• Dimensions: Some of these models are massive, taking up entire rooms.

Why You Should Go

1. Unique Perspective: It’s like Google Earth for the 1600s.
2. Quiet Atmosphere: It is usually dimly lit (to preserve the materials) and much quieter than the Napoleon sections.
3. Vauban's Legacy: It vividly illustrates the genius of Vauban, the engineer who fortified France's borders.

If you love miniatures, strategy games, or urban planning, this attic museum is mesmerizing.

Tip: Use the binoculars or magnifying glasses often provided (or bring your camera with a zoom lens) to really appreciate the tiny details of the townscapes.